While the activists are eager, they face serious trouble on another front — federal court. In an attempt to harass circus operator Feld Entertainment, a herd of activist groups sued the company. Feld won that case in the D.C. United States Court of Appeals, and a lower court’s ruling acknowledged a possible pay-for-play racket involving the corporate empire of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). According to a district court ruling, payments from the animal-rights groups to key witness Tom Rider totaled over $190,000 and were his “sole source of income” for part of the time.

The animal rights crusade isn’t just aiming to ban us from eating cheese, eggs, and meat; it also wants zoo animals, performing animals, and (yes) even pets to be “liberated.” In the hope of achieving their utopia, animal rights activists sometimes use questionable and even extreme means. But every dog has its day—in court.